As a local Japanese speaker, I get irritated once I come throughout English articles that tout Japanese buzzwords like ikigai. They’re not generally utilized in our day-to-day conversations. Ikigai is extra like a inventory phrase thrown in job interviews or autobiographies.
As a substitute of these fancy phrases, I’d prefer to introduce my three favourite Japanese phrases. They’re fundamental phrases however every carries a cultural richness that defies translation right into a single English phrase.
Listed below are 3 enchanting Japanese phrases that may brighten your day:
1. En (縁) / Goen (ご縁)
Should you’re accustomed to the Japanese language, it’s possible you’ll know that individuals toss a 5 yen coin right into a donation field at a shrine. They need for good “en”—not cashback in yen—however lucky connections with folks and new alternatives.
En (縁) may be roughly translated to phrases like future, bond, or connection. What’s intriguing is that 縁 isn’t as informal as accepting somebody’s connection request on LinkedIn. The phrase has a slight nuance of serendipity and a extra profound notion of destiny.
An previous saying explains this completely:
袖振り合うも他生の縁 (sode furiau mo tashō no en)
The unintentional brushing of sleeves generally is a predestined encounter on this life
Sode suggests the sleeves of the kimono, and tashō means our earlier lives. This proverb is a reminder of how necessary it’s to embrace every encounter with new folks mindfully.
That stated, I’ve to say that the sense of serendipitous encounters has been diminishing in our fashionable lives. On a crowded practice throughout rush hours, all of us hope to keep away from touching others’ garments.
However, if you wish to ship a proper speech expressing your gratitude for the connections you’ve made, you possibly can say,
ご縁をいただきありがとうございます (goen o itadaki arigatō gozaimasu)
Thanks for the connection.
En can even come into play once you really feel a particular affinity with somebody. It typically carries romantic connotations, and you need to use a phrase like this to convey your hopeful emotions:
あの人とは縁があるような気がする (ano hito to wa en ga aru yōna ki ga suru)
I really feel like I’ve a predestined reference to that individual.
2. Otagaisama (お互い様)
The Japanese phrase otagai (お互い) merely means “one another”, however when the honorific sama (様) is added, it instantly means a lot extra.
There’s no direct English equal, and it’s typically rendered as a situation the place two events are in the identical boat and mutually supportive. The nuance is near, “I do know you’d do the identical for me.”
It might sound not totally selfless, however the speaker’s intention is often to ease the emotional burden of the listener who would possibly really feel indebted for aiding. The next saying captures the sentiment properly:
困った時はお互い様 (komatta toki wa otagaisama)
We help one another when in bother
The consolation this phrase can carry is super. In my case, I owe rather a lot to my mom’s caregiver, but she graciously declines any items and makes use of this phrase as a substitute. We each know it will probably’t work the opposite approach round as a result of she’s an expert caregiver, however the phrase nonetheless serves to counterpoint our communication, for which I really feel really grateful.
This phrase encapsulates the precept of Japanese communication as a result of it may be used negatively, too, when two individuals are combating. The collectivistic tradition may be controversial, however the shared spirit of cooperation is undeniably precious.
3. Omomuki (趣)
When you’ve got heard of wabi-sabi, it’s straightforward to know this phrase. Omomuki roughly means grace, allure, and refinement. The everyday phrase is,
趣がある (omomuki ga aru)
It has a sleek style.
The judgment of whether or not it’s omomuki-bukai (趣深い)—tasteful or not—is extremely subjective. Wabi-sabi focuses extra on ephemeral magnificence, however omomuki suggests a broader sense of modest grace.
Once I journey, I often attempt to discover locations with omomuki reasonably than specializing in Instagrammable eye-catching spots. This manner, I can loosen up and immerse myself within the native vibes.
As an illustration, Kyoto residents take nice pleasure of their lives stuffed with omomuki and sometimes look down on Tokyoites. To them, Tokyo seems as a jungle of concrete buildings flooded by job seekers with out a lot historic worth.
One other level on which most Japanese folks would possible agree is that Ginkakuji Temple is extra omomuki-rich than Kinkakuji Temple. The gold-plastered Kinkakuji is just too glitzy. Omomuki shines extra modestly and gracefully.
Photograph: Ginkakuji Temple/Pixabay.
Bonus Phrase! Tsundoku (積読)
As a e-book lover, I can’t end this text with out mentioning tsundoku. It’s a portmanteau derived from the verb tsundeoku (積んでおく), which implies piling one thing up and placing it apart.
Japanese bookworms have shortened the phrase by changing the latter a part of the phrase with the kanji 読 (doku), which implies studying. This linguistic maneuver describes the behavior of piling up unread books.
As I discussed in my piece for The Japan Instances, tsundoku is a responsible pleasure cherished by many e-book lovers.
Yuko Tamura is a author, cultural translator, and the editor-in-chief of Japonica primarily based in Tokyo. Her articles have been featured in The Japan Instances, Unseen Japan, The Good Males Mission, BBC Radio, and extra.
This text was initially revealed at Medium. Reprinted with permission from the creator.
